Grand Rapids will seek a Michigan Department of Transportation grant to fund part of a planned Lyon Street bikeway through downtown. The concept calls for a 2-way bike lane (seen here on the left side of the road), one lane of motor traffic and two rows of on-street parking.courtesy of city of Grand Rapids

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A “Cadillac” concept for a downtown bike route along Lyon Street would cost an estimated $836,000.

Grand Rapids City Commission on Tuesday, April 9, authorized submission of a state grant request to fund one-third of the cost of the planned Lyon Street Bikeway. Undetermined local funds would pay the rest of the cost for the 2.6-mile route.

The bikeway was devised during the city’s $1 million Michigan Street Corridor Plan process as an east-west route between the Grand River and Plymouth Road.

“We need to find a parallel route to Michigan (Street for bikes),” said Suzanne Schulz, city planning director. “We need to find a quieter street. (Lyon) Street is nice and quiet and nice and green and leafy.”

The concept considers a 2-way bike lane along much of the north side of Lyon, adjacent to one-way motor traffic and parking on both sides of the street. Other sections of the bikeway would put bikes and motor vehicles in the same lanes.

The estimated cost of the bikeway is $836,000 and Grand Rapids will apply for a $280,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The project could include repaving Lyon in addition to adding pavement markings, traffic signs and signals and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant pedestrian sidewalk ramps.

Christopher Zull, the city’s traffic safety manager, called it a “Cadillac” concept and noted that “as we pursue funding we’re going to have to prioritize what we’re going to be able to accomplish.” The city would try to get multiple sources of local funds to pool with the state grant, said Mark De Clercq, city engineer.

For example, Grand Rapids last year got donations to fund much of an MDOT grant-funded road project on Plainfield Avenue NE.